Alice videogame art book and game aesthetics

This week I had a chance to borrow some art books from my friend and one of them really stood out. Its 'The Art of Alice: Madness Returns' by R.J. Berg*. It contains artwork created for the American MaGree (game designer) videogame Alice: Madness Returns (EA)** which if based on Lewis Carroll's story.

Some of the concept art pieces from the book are absolutely amazing and very inspiring.

I really liked this image because it seem to have a lot of ‘visual texture to it' a mix of techniques. The grittiness of the rock and the ground is counterbalanced but the smoothness of the blue clouds (less 'texture' and many wavy lines).

This piece is also absolutely amazing. Digital art but look so traditional: very textured and layered and the brushstrokes really visible, and all the nice detail of the plants and trees. It just made me think why game art doesn't look like this!? It's so interesting to look at, and if one can interact with the world that would be absolutely amazing experience. It;' would be like entering another world.

Another picture, similar image to the above one. Really like the tree in the bottom right-hand corner as well as the texture in the clouds (middle left). It looks like a traditional media brushstrokes. They give that tactile feel to the image that I think is missing often in a lot of 2D videogame art.

Really like the tree design and how it's been painted. The texture of the bark and most importantly the leaves. A lot of interest for a viewer’s eye.

This image relates to the underwater scene for my game idea. I'm not too keen on the bed, but I think the shoals of fish and the underwater plants look nice. Also the colour choices and the way the artist created the feeling of space: brighter colours at the back and the hazy outlines of some kind of plants in the distance. I think something similar could work for my project; however the light would be located at the top and I would have to address the issue of the red-orange and yellow light in the water. (Since the water absorbs the reds I would probably have to go violet-green in my colour choices)

Also I have noticed a post on FB from the Child of Light creators and followed their link to the YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JieprG-zAx4

It is very inspiring to see videogame like this being developed and published by a big game developing studio. I think we need more people like Patrick Plourde and his team who can make videogames that enrich people. I think the 2D games are starting to reinvent themselves just like painting (e.g. impressionist), photography or movies did. They all at some point stopped trying to represent reality and started exploring other ideas, feelings etc. The history seems to show that when people reach the goal of realistic representation they turn their attention to exploring the medium and creating new things with it or through it. I think it is a natural evolution of creative mediums in general, and because videogames are creative medium, they are undergoing the same process. Patrick Plourde (creative director of Child of Light) in above mentioned video says that the experience they are trying to create is: "Being able to play on a living painting and see the hand of the artist in the game." I think if the gameplay will not be marred by the technical issues (bugs) this game is going to become really popular, because developers seem to be going for the aesthetic game and that should mean a more immersive game. Philosophers like Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, Schopenhauer etc.. who have studied an aesthetic experience, have all noticed the fact that a more engaging/simulating piece of art is, perhaps even perceived as being different from the everyday, the more it tends to arrest and maintain spectator's attention, therefore draws the viewer in, makes him/her experience the art more profoundly and immerses him/her in to the experience (Hanfling 1992, p. 120, 126-127, 128, 129). Also having visible creators mark in the art makes it more personal and adds to the aesthetic experience (Emotionalist theory by L.Tolstoy and C.J. Ducasse) (Hanfling 1992 and Cahn and Meskin 2008).

Videogames are similar to books: serve the purpose of removing oneself from reality and exploring other worlds. In addition to that, Jane McGonigal  in her TED talk*** mentions the reasons why this might be happening (for example people get inspired when playing games and positive feedback and feeling of achievement. She calls it an 'epic win' and points out that in real life we do not tend to experience it) and quotes Edvard Castranova (economist):  "We're witnessing what amounts to no less than a mass exodus to virtual worlds and online game environments."
I do not think video games will go way so why not make it the experience not only more pleasant  and enriching since there are so many people playing them and it ultimately got to have an impact on our the culture?

Cahn, S.M. and Meskin,A. eds.2008. Aesthetics: a comprehensive anthology. Oxford: Blackwell Pub
Hanfling, O.1992. Philosophical Aesthetics:  an introduction. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing


* Berg, R.J.2011.The Art of Alice: Madness Returns. Milwaukie:Dark Horse Books
** Spicy Horse. 2011. Alice: Madness Returns. Play Station 3. Electronic Arts.
*** Jane MCGonigal. 2010. Jane McGonigal: Gaming can make a better world. [online video]. Available from: http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world#t-24231 [Accessed  October 13 2013]

Fundamentals

I have bought an 'Art Fundamentals' book by 3dTotal (see image below) back in the end of December 2013 to refresh all the art fundamentals knowledge. Even though I have some other books related to this subject I have bought it because it was created by digital artist. The book contains many digital drawings and I thought it would be interesting to look at art fundamentals through the digital artist’s point of view. Also, all the paintings can serve as a good inspiration source for my projects work.

When I had some time I was doing some exercises in the book. Here are some of the things I have looked at:

Light and shadow

Starting image

Added key shadow

Added key light

Added cast shadow

Added reflecting light

Added key highlight

Added spot highlight

Added rim light

For this light exercise I have used some of my own custom brushes to give a bit of texture to the ball.

My final game idea is to have a low light scene in the forest light by the sunset sky, so obviously getting light and shadow areas right will help improving the overall image. Even though it is a fantasy world some basic things need to work (look realistic) to make since and light and shadow is one of them.

Colour was another area I wanted to refresh, as it will play a major part in my final work. Also mixing colours digitally is not the same as mixing them on canvas. It differs how it’s technically when using brushes, opacity and layer or brush modes but also do to the fact that is mixed on screen and within an environment of particular software (in my case Adobe Photoshop). For example the issue of mixing blue and yellow to create green with does not happen in an expected way when doing it digitally (There is a discussion o this topic in CGSociety forums: http://forums.cgsociety.org/archive/index.php/t-427907.html and can see an example of it in video that can be found here:  http://www.digitalartform.com/archives/2005/06/digital_color_m.html ) Also there is an issue about colour mixing in general even in traditional painting. Scott Naismith's YouTube Video where he actually explains the problem with RGB colour wheel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQqxN8LpGzw) (Scott Naismith is a Scottish landscape painter and a part-time art tutor at Reid Kerr College)

Colour wheel used by traditional media artist (mixing paint) Subtractive system.

Colour wheel when working with light (also on screen) Additive system.

Colour wheel

Complementary colours

Colour Hue

9 Value scale in black and white

and the same 9 value scale in colour (see image below)

And here is a CMYK colour wheel that works much better than a RGB

Scott Naismith.[No date].Colour Wheel Plain.[online]. Available from: http://scottnaismith.com/buy-online/product-category/resources/colour-wheel-for-artists/ [Accessed 10 January 2014]

* 3dTotal. 2013. Art Fundamentals: Color, Light, Composition, Anatomy, Perspective and Depth. 3D Total Publishing

Finally got it!!!

After Last week’s presentation I have made a decision to continue with the oil/acrylic media look do to the facts that digital watercolour technique seem to be time consuming, especially when trying to get it to look right (as realistic as possible), also there is that layer issue mentioned in my last week’s post. I think oil/acrylic look is a bit of a safe option, but at the same time still very interesting one and not fully explored. In addition, there is a lot of practical information available online about digital painting in general and some of the digital artist (especially the ones that came from or also practice traditional media) now and again mention their use of certain techniques or types of brushes or other tools (e.g. Smudge tool) or ways of work on layers that are a little bit similar to traditional art. For exampleNykolai Alexander comes to mind. I've seen/read quite a few of her tutorials, and she seem to like using photographs of traditional media or even everyday patterns or textures for her custom digital brushes, as well as adding layers of some stains, or just smudges of colour and reducing their opacity to create a bit off 'mess'/'imperfection' to eliminate that 'digital polished look' in her own digital art. I do think that since human eye is trained to see patterns, facial features in various things, subconsciously we can recognise the repetition of brushes/brushstrokes that is visible in the digital art. I think subconsciously we might be able to recognise that there is something in-organic within the painting that is going on. But that is only my own theory and at the moment there is probably no point going in to it even if I really want to find out because I already have too many things going on.

So after I made up my mind about the media style and still was not happy about the previous attempt I've done a few more quick tests (see images below). I have wanted to see if I can find a better way of painting that looks more natural.

In the image above I was experimenting about leaving the black outlines and just layering the low opacity colours. It looked more like a watercolour then oil/acrylic so I decided not to continue with it.

In the image above I was experimenting with brushstrokes. How in a dark environment I could still possibly show some of the texture of the tree trunk.

Here I was trying to experiment with the sky: what brushes to use how it would work with the tree.

In the image above I was experimenting with a different kind of brushstroke.


I could feel it that there was something not quite right. The colour palette was what I wanted it to be and for some reason it was not working, and I had this issue with textures of the paint of the trees and the sky, how can I make them look different so they do not look boring but to still make it work. Something just wan not there and I was not happy.
I had to take some time off because my neck and my back were starting to hurt like crazy. After a day and a half I have returned back to the art and things just fell in to place. To help me along with the colour I did use an array of images that contained my desired colours and then just colour picked them and went on top with my brush covering everything that was there previously just keeping and mixing the colours I wanted. The same technique I have used it last year for the creation of animation background paintings. Also played some more with the colour dynamics on my brush. Below is an image I have managed to create and it just worked. I knew I got it! (see image below)

It just made me feel sooo good. Now just have to improve on it and make it things work better.


Now that I have the artwork on the way, I will also need to go back to the dissertation writing. During Crit presentation everyone was asked about their research and their dissertation. It certainly worked as a reminder to do the written work. I definitely need to go back to the aesthetics books as I really need to understand how I can tie it properly with the art that I am creating and digital 2D game art in general, and especially if I’m going to analyse art in my dissertation. It is still a very confusing topic to work ones head around. My plan is to complete the dissertation by the 21st of April with a few parts regarding my work missing and to be filled in later). I  do not like writing dissertation before my practical work is done but it has to be finished well before the submission because my supervisor needs at least 2 weeks to read it and give feedback.

Also need to make sure that I will have something to submit before 7th of April for the showcase reel.

On Thursday I had also been recommended to look at some art as practice books (e.g. Graham Sullivan 'Art practice as research') but so far I did not have time to do it.

Crit presentation

This week has been really busy. Apart from participating in a lower year’s Crit presentation as usual I had my hands full with my own preparation for Thursdays Crit presentation: trying to complete oil and watercolour mock-up screenshots for my game 'Lyse'. On Tuesday met with Simone to have a quick chat about my work so far however because I had only one version ready did not get much feedback but she said she liked what I was doing.

I have managed to finish my game environment layout sketches by completing the last part: air (see image below)

Also finished intended screenshot mock-ups (see images below)

 Oil/acrylics version

Watercolour version

Although I did not have time left to redesign my character I have included my new character inspiration moodboard (see image below)

So far my personal thoughts about the work

Not happy with the mock-up screenshots. There is nothing wrong with the sketch underneath the paintings; however the painting bit for neither oil/acrylic nor watercolour is right. The images are of course quite rushed and supposed to be only 'sketches' but still... things are wrong. There is no surprise about the watercolour media imitation as it is very far from the real water on paper technique. However, one would think that oil/acrylic would be easy, but no, the art is not happening on a digital paper/canvas like it used to on a real one. The technique does not feel right even though use of various brushes and their different settings helps (mentioned in my week 19 post). At the moment watercolour looks better, however there is an issue with watercolour. Since the feature of watercolour is its translucency on a paper and my game environment is contains many layers I think transparent trees just not going to look right. Besides,  if I vent for the 100% opacity then the environment would look 'cut-out'. Not sure if I want that.

In addition,  the colour! I like the sky in the background however it just does not work with the foreground. I defiantly need to fix that by either changing the sky layer or the forest. Also, sky is obscured by the forest layers. Perhaps revealing more of it would also give more space for the UI/HUD at the top of the screen.

During Crit presentation I have talked about my game idea, game design and layout.  Also showed images of paper prototype as well as character designs and moodboards and told them that I will change my character design to something simpler. Perhaps something similar to the Boy from 'How to Catch a Star' by Oliver Jeffers book, however I want it to have a painted texture and face.

Lecturers’ feedback

I did not get that much feedback even though they asked quite a few questions about my process and art. They still like the idea and what I am doing though which is nice. Also, I probably need to learn how to structure my presentation better so I explain more about what I am doing and how. I will have one more chance to do that at the end of the year and the presentation will be graded so I better make it right.

Pre crit week

Last Thursday I went to The Jolomo Bank of Scotland Awards exhibition at HMC (Hannah Maclure Centre). I think this was the best free time I have spent so far this year. I am really getting bogged down with my project. I seem to be doing nothing at all but my university work and still worrying if I can do it well enough. Pressure is mounting up and by always staring at my PC screen I am not doing many favours for myself or perhaps even for my project.

During the event I did not have that much time to look at the paintings that were hanging there but I really enjoyed talks with the artist. I have even stayed longer then I was intending at first because some of the conversations I had with the artists were really interesting and were close to my heart and my mind: the whole painting process, returning back to art after years of break, the constant beating yourself up by feeling like of being not good enough etc. Since I did not have much time to look at the exhibited paintings I went back to the exhibition this week during the day and really enjoyed looking an analysing the paint on canvas and how each painter had their own style and ways of applying paint on to the surface or choice of colour.


During last five days I have managed to complete the Game Concept Document*, make a better sketch for the underwater and land/forest part of the game as I doubt I will have enough time to create the rest of the game artwork. (see image below)

Also a better version of the land/forest screenshot. (see image below)

Character designs

Silhouettes

Iterated designs (not all complete)

I will have to rethink character design as most of them are too complicated and might be difficult/time consuming to animate.

As well as started to set up the proper land/forest layer for my final peace (see image below)

Tomorrow meeting my supervisor again to see what is her feedback and discuss what I would like to and should present during my crit presentation.


* Current Game Concept document can be found following this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/q65ylkz26uzgk8p/Honours%20Game%20Concept.pdf